She became a United States marshal, Lackawanna County's first female police officer, a judo expert and even made Hollywood headlines when she tussled with Jane Fonda.

Now Old Forge native Adele Fiorentini Paul will be laid to rest in her hometown with all of the honors befitting a trailblazing officer of the law.

Mrs. Paul died Sunday, Sept. 29, at the age of 87 in Cleveland, leaving behind a storied career in law enforcement.

"She loved what she did but never bragged about it," said her daughter, 66-year-old Adele Szuhai of Strongsville, Ohio. "I was proud that she was my mom."

While humility held her back, Mrs. Paul had plenty to brag about throughout her career. She moved to Cleveland after graduating from Old Forge High School in 1943. After a few years working as a nurse's aide and chief air raid marshal, by 1956 she was sworn in as Deputy U.S. Marshal for the northern district of Ohio.

Read clips from The Times-Tribune archives about Mrs. Paul here and here.

"She did it on a bet with my dad," Mrs. Szuhai said. Her father, Ignatius Zacosky, was Mrs. Paul's first husband. She later married Albert Paul.

"When she got picked everyone was surprised," Mrs. Szuhai said.

According to The Cleveland Press, Mrs. Paul, then Mrs. Zacosky, was northern Ohio's first and only female deputy when she was sworn in on July 25, 1956.

As a U.S. marshal, Mrs. Paul spent her time guarding federally protected witnesses and murderers and picking up prisoners before resigning three years into the job. She took a job as a department store detective to spend more time with her young daughter.

As her daughter grew, Mrs. Paul returned to law enforcement as a deputy with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's department in Cleveland, quickly moving up the ranks to sergeant.

During her time in Cleveland, Mrs. Paul had a memorable run-in with actress and fitness instructor Jane Fonda.

"My mother did not like her," Mrs. Szuhai recalled.

Police arrested Ms. Fonda in the Cleveland airport on charges of drug possession on Nov. 3, 1970, and brought her to Cuyahoga County Jail where Mrs. Paul was in charge of 10 matrons and all women prisoners.

When Mrs. Paul tried to bring Ms. Fonda to federal court that morning, the actress resisted.

Ms. Fonda's refusal provoked a wrestling match between the five foot two, judo-expert deputy and five foot eight actress. Mrs. Paul quickly subdued Ms. Fonda, handcuffing their wrists together after Ms. Fonda called her a "fascist pig."

" 'Pig' stands for pride, integrity and guts, and we have all three," said Mrs. Paul of Ms. Fonda's insult, according to an interview that appeared in The Sunday Times on May 2, 1982.

Mrs. Szuhai remembered witnessing her mother's judo skills in her childhood home, particularly during high school when her football player friends didn't believe Mrs. Paul could beat them in a fight.

"If she just hit you in the right spot, she would slap your hand and you would go down," Mrs. Szuhai said. "All of these boys would end up on the ground looking up at her."

Growing up with a police officer for a mother may have seemed out of the ordinary at the time, but Mrs. Szuhai said she always felt like she had a normal childhood.

"My life growing up with her was kind of regular other than the fact that she knew judo and could get the boys on the floor," Mrs. Szuhai joked. "She was tough but not a mean tough. She was just mom to me."

Mrs. Paul returned to Old Forge as a police officer in 1971, becoming the borough's and the county's first female officer.

Known as Lackawanna County's "lady cop" about town, Mrs. Paul remained with the Old Forge Police Department for 5½ years.

After Mrs. Paul resigned because of "harassment," the Old Forge community rallied in 1979 to have their legendary "lady cop" reinstated. But she was too busy running for mayor of Old Forge.

"She was always so involved," Mrs. Szuhai said. "She was way ahead of her time."

Mrs. Paul will be buried in her beloved hometown in Old Forge Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. with a "full police burial" during her graveside ceremony, Old Forge Officer-in-Charge Jason Dubernas said. She will be honored with a rifle salute, a performance of taps and a ceremonial folded flag.

"It's absolutely an honor," Officer Dubernas said of the ceremony.

Although Mrs. Szuhai may not be able to make it to Saturday's ceremony, she expressed pride and gratitude for her mother's send-off.

"I was proud of her my whole life," she said, "I feel blessed that I had this many years with her."

After all those years, Mrs. Szuhai knows how her mother might feel about the pomp and circumstance of her burial.

"She's looking down saying, 'This is nice but you guys didn't have to do all this for me,'" Mrs. Szuhai said. "But I'm so grateful that it's ending this way because she sure deserves it."

Contact the writer: sscinto@timesshamrock.com, @sscintoTT on Twitter

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